Soweto derby takes centre stage

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Jan 29, 2021. 08:47

The weekend’s action in the DStv Premiership is undoubtedly headlined by the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium on the afternoon of Saturday, 30 January.

The clash is a key one for both teams as they look to get back into title contention after failing to inspire in the first half of the season. Pirates come into the clash on the back of a 1-1 draw at home to TS Galaxy in midweek, and have won just once in their last four league outings, while Chiefs are unbeaten in their last five but have managed just four wins from 14 games through the campaign so far.

“We have not a lot of training sessions in the last four weeks, it’s not possible to say now a striker is here, we have to work with what we have, we have good players but the result is not okay for me, it’s not enough, the performance yes, the tactics, it’s running we had situations to score but at this moment we don’t have this power what we need for a goal,” said Buccaneers coach Josef Zinnbauer.

Amakhosi coach Gavin Hunt explained, “There’s no doubt the signs are better in my eyes but we need game toughness – we don’t have that. We need more game toughness and that I can only push and pull and do whatever as best we can, and you know that takes a bit of time.”

The weekend round opens with a Friday clash between AmaZulu and Stellenbosch in Durban, while the following evening is a busy one in the wake of the derby, as four matches are played simultaneously – the pick of the quartet sees high-flying SuperSport United and Swallows meet at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, and there’s also a KwaZulu-Natal derby between Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United.

Sunday’s two games see champions and leaders Mamelodi Sundowns tackling Chippa United (who will be playing an unprecedented ninth straight away game due their home city of Port Elizabeth being a Covid-19 hotspot), while Baroka will fancy their chances of upsetting Cape Town City in the Limpopo province.

DStv Premiership weekend fixtures

Friday 29 January

17:00: AmaZulu v Stellenbosch FC

Saturday 30 January

15:30: Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs

17:00: SuperSport United v Swallows FC

17:00: Bloemfontein Celtic v Tshakhuma TM

17:00: Golden Arrows v Maritzburg United

17:00: Black Leopards v TS Galaxy

Sunday 31 January

15:30: Mamelodi Sundowns v Chippa United

15:30: Baroka FC v Cape Town City